Henri Castro Papers: Finding Aid mssCastro
Gayle Richardson
The Huntington Library
November 2020
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, California 91108
Business Number: (626) 405-2191
reference@huntington.org
Note
Find aid last updated on April 28, 2023 by Mari Khasmanyan.
Contributing Institution:
The Huntington Library
Title: Henri Castro papers
Creator:
Castro, Henri,
1786-1865
Identifier/Call Number: mssCastro
Physical Description:
1.25 Linear Feet
(1 box)
Date (inclusive): 1825-1934
Date (bulk): 1845-1847
Abstract: A collection, mainly in French, of
correspondence related to the work of Henri Castro to establish French colonies in Texas in
the 19th century.
Language of Material: Materials are in French, Spanish,
and English.
Conditions Governing Access
Open for use by qualified researchers and by appointment. Please contact Reader Services at
the Huntington Library for more information.
Conditions Governing Use
The Huntington Library does not require that researchers request permission to quote from
or publish images of this material, nor does it charge fees for such activities. The
responsibility for identifying the copyright holder, if there is one, and obtaining
necessary permissions rests with the researcher.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item]. Henri Castro papers, The Huntington Library, San Marino,
California.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of Emily W. Donnell, July 1978.
Biographical / Historical
Henri Castro (1786-1865) was born in France of Jewish Portuguese ancestry; in 1813, he
married Amelia Mathias and in 1827 they immigrated to the United States. He became an
American citizen and a partner in Lafitte and Company. In 1842 he made a contract with the
government in Texas to settle a colony in land on the frontier west of San Antonio. Between
1843 and 1847, Castro arranged for 27 ships and brought 485 families and 457 single men to
Texas, mainly from the Alsace region in France and Germany. These immigrants helped to
establish the earliest permanent European settlements between San Antonio and the Rio
Grande. He stayed in Castroville, Texas, until the time of the American Civil War, then died
in Monterrey, Mexico, as he was returning to France.
Scope and Contents
A collection of 46 items from 1825 to 1866, which chiefly contains letters from Henri
Castro to his directors in Texas, Dr. George Cupples and Louis Huth, concerning the problems
and needs of the colony. Because of the questionable mail service of the time, duplicate
copies of letters were often sent. These and the many English translations (which were made
at a later time) are placed with the original letters but are not counted as separate items.
The letters in this collection are primarily in French and Spanish.
Processing Information
Processed by Huntington Library Staff, in April 1983. In 2020, Gayle Richardson created the
finding aid derived from a legacy summary report.
Existence and Location of Copies
Arrangement
Arranged alphabetically.
General
Individual call numbers included in the collection: mssHM 48816-48858.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
France -- Foreign relations -- Texas
Texas -- Colonization
Texas -- Emigration and immigration
Texas -- History -- 19th century
Texas -- History -- Republic,
1836-1846
Texas -- Foreign relations -- France
Letters (correspondence) -- Texas -- 19th century
Cupples, George,
1815-1895
Huth, Louis
Box 1, Folder 1
H. O. S. Addicks to Henri Castro: receipt for copies of deeds HM 48816
1845 October 3
Scope and Contents
With typewritten copy.
Box 1, Folder 2
T. H. Brown? to George Cupples: receipt HM 48817
1845 February 8
Scope and Contents
Port Lavaca, Texas.
Box 1, Folder 3
Henri Castro to J. Simon Bourgeois HM 48818
1860 June 6
Scope and Contents
With English translation.
Box 1, Folder 4
Henri Castro to George Cupples HM 48819
1845 February 5
Scope and Contents
Galveston, Texas.
Box 1, Folder 5
Henri Castro to George Cupples HM 48820
1845 February 9
Scope and Contents
Galveston, Texas.
Box 1, Folder 6
Henri Castro to George Cupples HM 48821
1845 February 18
Scope and Contents
New Orleans, Louisiana. With English translation.
Box 1, Folder 7
Henri Castro to George Cupples HM 48822
1845 March 2
Scope and Contents
Washington, DC. With press copy and English translation.
Box 1, Folder 8
Henri Castro to George Cupples HM 48823
1845 April 1
Scope and Contents
Boston, Massachusetts. With English translation.
Box 1, Folder 9
Henri Castro to George Cupples HM 48824
1845 April 15
Scope and Contents
London, England. With English translation.
Box 1, Folder 10
Henri Castro to George Cupples HM 48825
1845 April 25
Scope and Contents
Antwerp, Belgium. With English translation.
Box 1, Folder 11
Henri Castro to George Cupples HM 48826
1845 June 15
Scope and Contents
Paris, France. With English translation and copy of letter.
Box 1, Folder 12
Henri Castro to George Cupples HM 48827
1845 July 1
Scope and Contents
Paris, France. With copy of letter.
Box 1, Folder 13
Henri Castro to George Cupples HM 48828
1845 July 1
Scope and Contents
Paris, France. With English translation adn copy of letter.
Box 1, Folder 14
Henri Castro to George Cupples HM 48829
1845 August 15
Scope and Contents
Antwerp, Belgium.
Box 1, Folder 15
Henri Castro to George Cupples HM 48830
1845 September 15
Scope and Contents
Antwerp, Belgium. With English translation.
Box 1, Folder 16
Henri Castro to George Cupples HM 48831
1845 September 17
Scope and Contents
Antwerp, Belgium. With English translation and typewritten copy.
Box 1, Folder 17
Henri Castro to George Cupples HM 48832
1846 March 15
Scope and Contents
Antwerp, Belgium. With English translation.
Box 1, Folder 18
Henri Castro to George Cupples HM 48833
1846 November 8
Box 1, Folder 19
Henri Castro to George Cupples HM 48834
1847 January 31
Scope and Contents
Castroville, Texas. With English translation.
Box 1, Folder 20
Henri Castro to George Cupples HM 48835
1847 April 30
Scope and Contents
With English translation.
Box 1, Folder 21
Henri Castro to George Cupples HM 48836
1849? June 19
Box 1, Folder 22
Henri Castro to George Cupples HM 48837
1849? July 20
Box 1, Folder 23
Henri Castro to George Cupples HM 48838
1849? November 27
Scope and Contents
With English translation.
Box 1, Folder 24
Henri Castro to George Cupples HM 48839
1850 May 16
Scope and Contents
Castroville, Texas. With English translation.
Box 1, Folder 25
Henri Castro to George Cupples HM 48840
1858 December 31
Scope and Contents
Castroville, Texas. With English translation.
Box 1, Folder 26
Henri Castro to George Cupples HM 48841
1860? July 8
Scope and Contents
With English translation.
Box 1, Folder 27
Henri Castro to Louis Huth HM 48842
1845 August 15
Scope and Contents
Antwerp, Belgium. With English translation and copy of letter.
Box 1, Folder 28
Henri Castro to Louis Huth HM 48843
1845 October 15
Scope and Contents
Antwerp, Belgium. With English translation.
Box 1, Folder 29
Henri Castro to Louis Huth HM 48844
1845 November 16
Scope and Contents
Antwerp, Belgium. With English translation.
Box 1, Folder 30
Henri Castro to Louis Huth HM 48845
1845 December 1
Scope and Contents
Antwerp, Belgium. Following the above: note from Henri Castro to George Cupples. With
English translation.
Box 1, Folder 31
Henri Castro to Louis Huth HM 48846
1846 January 31
Scope and Contents
Antwerp, Belgium. with English translation and typewritten copy of translation.
Box 1, Folder 32
Henri Castro to H. Kenny HM 48847
1845 July 1
Scope and Contents
Paris, France. With English translation.
Box 1, Folder 33
Henri Castro to unidentified addressee HM 48848
1860 July
Scope and Contents
With English translation.
Box 1, Folder 34
George Cupples to Henri Castro HM 48849
1846 March
Scope and Contents
Castroville, Texas. With English translation.
Box 1, Folder 35
George Cupples to Henri Castro HM 48850
1847 January 31
Scope and Contents
Castroville, Texas.
Box 1, Folder 36
George Cupples to Guillaume D'Hanis HM 48851
1846 March 6
Scope and Contents
Castroville, Texas. With English translation.
Box 1, Folder 37
George Cupples: will HM 48852
1866 September 23
Scope and Contents
With English translation and typewritten copy of translation.
Box 1, Folder 38
Guillaume D'Hanis to George Cupples HM 48853
1845 December 1
Scope and Contents
Antwerp, Belgium. Following the above: copy of letter from Guillaume D'Hanis to Louis
Huth, 1845 December 1. With English translations.
Box 1, Folder 39
Louis Huth et al: account form for settlement of Castroville, Texas HM 48854
1846?
Scope and Contents
With English translation.
Box 1, Folder 40
A. Maquinay to G. W. Ewing HM 48855
1845 December 17
Scope and Contents
Galveston, Texas. Following the above: letter to G. W. Ewing from E. Martin and C. A.
Cobb.
Box 1, Folder 41
Account for Henri Castro HM 48856
1845 January-February
Scope and Contents
With incomplete variant copy and English translation and typewritten copy of
translation.
Box 1, Folder 42
Account of expenses for emigrants to Castroville, Texas HM 48857
1846 January
Box 1, Folder 43
Copia de las Cordilleras y de Los Superiores ordines Para la Compania Presidial
de Bexar y del Alamo…inventario de los libros y papeles…y Tambien el inventario de la
capilla San Antonio Bolero del Alamo
HM 48858
1825
Scope and Contents
Also contains records of baptisms, marriages, and burials, 1785 to 1825. Incomplete
copy. With partial English translation probably made about 1850. Water damaged.
Box 1, Folder 44
Ephemera
1917-1934
Scope and Contents
Three items.